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What is the Optimal Bean Aging Period for Freshly Roasted Coffee Beans for Pour-Over and Espresso?

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, As for espresso blend coffee beans, when prepared with pressure-based espresso machines, they require at least 7-15 days of bean aging. If you need to use them urgently, you can open the coffee bag in advance and let the beans oxidize in the air for 12-24 hours before use. Very fresh blend coffee beans will perform differently in ESPRESSO in terms of mouthfeel

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"Coffee beans need to be rested! They don't taste very good in the first three days after fresh roasting!" Have you always heard coffee enthusiasts discussing the topic of coffee bean resting/awakening? Coffee beans aren't wine, so why do they need to sit for a while before tasting good? In this article, FrontStreet Coffee will discuss the importance of resting freshly roasted coffee beans!

What is Coffee Bean Resting?

During the roasting process, coffee beans produce a large amount of carbon dioxide, which is absorbed back into the beans when they come out of the roaster, accounting for 2% of the coffee bean's weight. If coffee beans contain too much carbon dioxide, they will produce many bubbles when they come into contact with water during extraction, changing the water flow channels in the coffee powder layer and affecting the stability of coffee extraction, ultimately greatly impacting the coffee's flavor and mouthfeel.

Is Resting Necessary?

Most coffee beans are not in their best-tasting state immediately after roasting; they usually have a noticeable dryness and smoky taste, with a sharper and more stimulating mouthfeel. Therefore, freshly roasted coffee beans need to rest in their original packaging with a one-way exhaust valve in a dry, cool place for 3-7 days, allowing the beans to naturally release some carbon dioxide and carry away the smoky dryness.

Coffee Bean Resting Time

This depends on the coffee roasting date and degree of roast. FrontStreet Coffee ships all coffee beans within 5 days after roasting is completed. After receiving the coffee beans, you can check the roasting date on the back label of the package and start counting the resting time from the roasting date.

Currently, FrontStreet Coffee sells coffee beans in three roast degrees: medium-light roast coffee beans are recommended to rest for 3-4 days; medium roast degree is recommended to rest for 4-5 days; medium-dark roast degree is recommended to rest for 6-7 days.

After proper resting, coffee beans will extract more stably and taste fuller and cleaner. In winter when room temperature is low, the resting period can be appropriately extended by 2-3 days.

How to Judge if Coffee Beans Are Properly Rested?

Hand pour judgment is very intuitive. According to FrontStreet Coffee's daily brewing observations, if there is still a large amount of carbon dioxide in the coffee beans, then after the bloom stage of evenly moistening the powder layer for 30 seconds, there are still obvious large bubbles emerging, then the coffee beans can rest for another 1-2 days.

For espresso extraction judgment, you need to pay attention to the performance of the crema after extraction is complete. If the crema is too abundant/crema surface is too thick, and the coffee taste shows smoky/dry sensations, these all indicate that the carbon dioxide content in the coffee beans is relatively high, and you can let them rest for another 2-3 days to try subsequent performance.